Irish Bread

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Recipe by: Dorothy

"My mother-in-law was born in Ireland and this is her recipe, which was only shared with the family. My husband would make 20 loaves for St. Patrick's Day to give to friends but he would never give the recipe. When asked for it, he would make the person a loaf and tell them that the recipe was a secret. Now that both he and his mother have passed, I think she would like to share it. I make 4 loaves each year for our church bake sale. They sell for $17.00 each and people come to the early mass just to get one."

Directions

Pour hot water over raisins and currants in a bowl and let soak. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl until well combined; whisk in buttermilk.

Drain raisins and currants and pat dry with paper towels; fold into dough. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead gently until it holds its shape; if dough is too sticky, knead in more flour. Form into a round and place into prepared cast iron skillet. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a slender knife inserted into the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour.